Friday, August 24, 2012

I love getting arty stuff in the mail, and it came at just the right time. I arrived home, not very well, to an amazing lot of mail art. Absolutely cheered me up...thank you all.The first, and largest, package came from Penny in South Australia. I had given her a miniature painting of mine when she was visiting this part of the world, without any idea of her responding in kind.

1. Chris included one of her own... yay!2. Rita's is just gorgeous... all those ribbons!3. Lorna's collage is just my cup of tea.There were a few ATCs...

1. 'Two Bicycles' from Nydia as part of a 'Wheels' trade run by Karen who is a Mail Art afficionado. Interestingly I've run across Nydia again in one of my Yahoo ATC trading groups. Hope to trade with her soon.

2. 'Silly Crows' from Joyce... also part of my trading group.3. Linda Marzano (from the same group) sent these FIVE fabulous fish ATCs in trade for ONE of mine....hmmm....I'll have to find a way to reciprocate.

What a plethora of creativity !!!Thank you all for cheering me up. After a battery of medical tests I have been diagnosed with whooping cough AND the new strain of influenza...at the same time....AND I've given it to Richard (naturally). So now I feel crook AND have a sick male to care for... and you girls all know what that's like.Anyway... no art for me for a little while, at least until I feel enthused again. Mind you, my package of collage materials from Joel Lambeth for the 'To the Power Of N' project has arrived....hmmm... maybe I'll just do a little bit.

Friday, August 17, 2012

The previous few posts were scheduled, in case you had an inkling I was missing.

I've been having the most amazing holiday. Have just travelled from Budapest to Amsterdam by boat via the Danube, Rhine, and Main rivers. What an adventure! Stopped in Singapore for five days on the way back to swim, sleep, and eat, before returning to reality.

It was perfect timing for a photo scavenger hunt organised by Rinda, from Gallo Organico. I think I have all the photos, and it's a great way to share some of my adventures with you. I did sneak a couple in from home to fill in where I couldn't find the subject.

1. A pier
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Docking at Durnstein, on the Danube

﻿2. A clothesline

The boat next door.. Danube

3. A border

The Danube River is the border between the cities of Buda and Pest. They are connected by the numerous bridges traversing the river. It is also the border between Bulgaria and Romania, tho' we didn't visit that area.

4. A roadside stand, selling something:

By the Danube, Budapest

5. A train

Tourist train, Bratislava

6. A historical landmark

Rothenberg is a medieval city preserved because of poverty and luck. Poverty kept the town from evolving, freezing it in the medieval ages. Luck kept it from being bombed during WWII because both the Americans and Germans in charge near Rothenburg realized the historical value and the city was saved.

The ancient city wall, Rothenberg

7. A person playing a musical instrument:

This was easy.... our shipboard entertainment ranged from this...

Hansi Oom Pa Pa...Bavaria

...to this...

Tomy Temerson.. internationally renowned zither player

...and this delightful trio serenaded us while dining in Singapore, on the way home.

8. A person dressed as an angel, or a statue of an angel..

...not too difficult, considering the number of churches and cathedrals we visited.

Inside church, Bratislava

Outside Cologne Cathedral

9. A fountain... there were more fountains than you can poke a stick at... but I had some faves.

Miltenberg

Bamberg

10. A horse

It bucketed in Vienna, and the horses weren't impressed

11. A shadow

Kapitulska is one of the oldest streets in Bratislava, if not
the oldest. Records of the streets' existence go back all the way to 1204. The street also was of great importance
due to St. Martin's Cathedral located at its end. If you walk along Kapitulská
you'll see gold markers on the road, stamped with a crown. These are
markers identifying the route taken by the coronation procession from the
cathedral, walked by 11 Hungarian kings and 8 royal
spouses.

That's a shadow of my head, trying to wear the crown.

12. A maze, labyrinth, or trail.

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Entrance to the maze at Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna

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13. A library

The ship's library wasn't very comprehensive, but who had the time anyway?

My home library is larger, but leans towards one subject... art.

14. A person playing with a ball.

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Village children, Rothenberg

15. Someone dancing.

Traditional Hungarian folk-dancing, on board ship.

16. A bride.... couldn't decide between a marzipan bride in a cakeshop window in Vienna....

...or a real one outside a small church in Cologne

17. A church, chapel, cathedral, mosque or temple.

There were churches everywhere...of course... but the most impressive is the Cologne Cathedral....

...although the interior of St.Stephen's in Vienna is rather gorgeous...

18. A movie poster

In a window in Miltenberg

19. An outdoor stairway

On the steps outside the Wurzberg Museum

Clarke Quay - Singapore

20. A swing hanging from a tree (or a hammock)

Didn't see one swing on our trip... but R obliged when we got home by taking a nap in the garden.

21. A picture of you standing with something that symbolizes your nation.

I didn't take this of course, but handed my camera to the closest person. (Hope it still counts, Rinda)

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

During a slow time, artistically speaking, I like to do a little trading of small works. Karen Isaacson has been hosting two swaps... 'Trash' postcards made from recycled or leftover paper and stuff. This one contains scraps of painted paper lefrover from other projects, bits from various envelopes, and a bottletop.